AboutEric R. Eaton Expertise I can answer most questions related to wasps, solitary bees, grasshoppers and katydids, beetles, cicadas, and spiders, especially requests to identify "mystery bugs" in North America!
Experience
Past/Present clients Principal author of the "Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America" (in bookstores now!), Smithsonian Institution (contract), Cincinnati Zoo (employer), Portland State University (contract), Chase Studio, Inc (employer), Arkansas Museum of Discovery (guest speaker), Krohn Conservatory, Cincinnati (volunteer trainer, guest speaker).
Expert: Eric R. Eaton Date: 7/4/2008 Subject: Possible steel blue cricket hunter wasps
Question We live in Olympia, Wa. and can't seem to get rid of some type of bee or wasp that are living in our front lawn. They resemble the steel blue cricket hunter wasps. Any suggestions on how to get rid of them?k
Answer Shaniqua:
Thank you for your question. I grew up in Portland, Oregon, and in my experience, the wasp you refer to, Chlorion aerarium, does not occur west of the Cascade Mountains, and only sparingly in the arid eastern parts of the Pacific Northwest.
While your identification can't be ruled out completely, the much more likely candidate would be the blue mud dauber, Chalybion californicum. However, that species does not nest in the ground. You have a puzzle here, it would appear....
In any event, why "get rid of them?" Solitary wasps are not at all aggressive (at least the females are not aggressive, even if the stingless males are territorial and belligerent). Don't physically grab a wasp, or step on one in bare feet, and you won't get stung. It is just that simple. Meanwhile the wasps are aerating the soil when they dig burrows, ridding the garden of pest insects (or holding down the spider population in the case of Chalybion), and probably pollinating the flowers they visit for nectar. Lastly, their nesting activities should be brief, no more than a couple weeks or so.
Please feel free to get back to me if you have more questions. You might also consider trying to take an image of the insect in question, and posting it to:
in the "ID Request" section. That way, the identity can be confirmed, provide the images are at least relatively clear and detailed. You can also check out information and existing images for both Chlorion and Chalybion at Bugguide.
Good luck, and please try and coexist with the wasps until they are finished nesting. There is not much natural real estate left for bees and wasps to use anymore!
